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GSA Encourages Citizen Participation in Regulatory Process

WASHINGTON – The U.S. General Services Administration made thousands of pending and recently completed federal regulatory actions available for public review and comment today with the release of the annual Regulatory Plan at www.RegInfo.gov.

“Federal regulations have a profound effect on everybody’s daily lives, so we’re making sure the regulatory process is transparent and open to the public,” said Michael Robertson, Associate Administrator of Governmentwide Policy. “Citizens can add their voice to the conversation on this year’s Regulatory Plan by going to www.RegInfo.gov.”

“Putting this plan online is one of the many ways we’re working toward a more transparent, participatory, and collaborative government by making information easily accessible and engaging the public in dialogue on important issues,” Robertson added.

GSA’s Office of Governmentwide Policy publishes the Unified Agenda and annual Regulatory Plan on behalf of the Office of Management and Budget. The Regulatory Plan includes descriptions of more than 4,000 regulatory actions either currently under development or recently completed by approximately 60 federal agencies, departments and commissions. The Plan is a key element of the Unified Regulatory Agenda, which is published every spring and fall. The Plan includes agency statements of regulatory priorities, plus detailed information about the most significant regulatory actions.

“Some of the nation's most important policies are implemented through regulation. In domains as diverse as energy efficiency, environmental protection, health care, occupational safety, civil rights, communications, homeland security, and many more, the government attempts to protect its citizens through regulations,” OMB Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Administrator Cass Sunstein explained in introducing the annual plan.

“Regulatory decisions often require complex tradeoffs, especially in the current economic environment. We are committed to ensuring that those tradeoffs reflect the best available information, respect scientific integrity, and benefit from public participation - and are rooted in a clear and transparent understanding of the human consequences,” Sunstein said.

The Agenda and Plan fulfill directives set forth by Executive Order 12866 and the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 USC 602) that require all federal regulatory agencies to publish regulatory planning and agenda information.

GSA provides a centralized delivery system of products and services to the federal government, leveraging its enormous buying power to get the best value for taxpayers.

Founded in 1949, GSA manages more than 11 percent of the government’s total procurement dollars and $30 billion in federal assets, including 8,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 213,000 vehicles.

GSA helps preserve our past and define our future, as a steward of more than 480 historic properties, and as manager of USA.gov, the official portal to federal government information and services.

Did You Know? GSA’s Office of Governmentwide Policy sets policy that covers federal government personal and real property, travel and transportation, information technology, regulatory information, and use of federal advisory committees.